Signing the contract at Vestbase, Kristiansund – back row from left: Alf Dahl (Managing Director, Vestbase), John Stangeland (CEO NorSea Group), Jan Eyvin Wang (Chairman of the Board, NorSea Group), Ralf Larsen (Project Manager, Vestbase), Lars Haug (COO, NorSea Group) – front row from left: Terje Kvisvik (Property Manager, Vestbase) and Yvonne Torgersen Hetlevik (Regional Director Apply TB) (photo: NorSea Group)

The largest ever onshore power supply contract in Norway has been signed between NorSea Group and Apply TB in Kristiansund, Norway.

NorSea Group is building power supply facilities at four of its bases along the Norwegian coastline from Hammerfest in the north to Stavanger in the south. Operational from next autumn, they will enable the company to offer customers a future-oriented and environmentally friendly energy alternative at quay.

Onshore power supply gives vessels the option to hook up to the local electricity grid. When berthed, ships require electricity to support activities such as loading, unloading, heating and lighting and other on board activities. The power is generally provided by auxiliary engines that emit carbon dioxide (CO₂) and air pollutants, affecting local air quality and ultimately the health of both port workers and nearby residents and creates noise nuisance.

By opting for the alternative onshore hook up, operations can proceed uninterrupted, while eliminating negative side-effects. This leads to substantial environmental benefits, including reduction of CO₂ and NOX emissions, lower noise levels at bases, improved energy efficiency and less reliance on ships’ on board energy supplies.

NorSea Group CEO, John Stangeland, says, “This is a substantial investment for us, with great support from ENOVA, where all parties see the environmental and commercial benefits to be achieved through the project. Onshore power supply will lead to large environmental benefits, in addition to economic gains for customers through reduction in operating expenses on the ships’ machinery, reduction in energy consumption (emission costs) and better energy utilisation.”

Investment in the project totals around 70 million NOK. This includes 52 million NOK funded by ENOVA. ENOVA SF is owned by the Norwegian Ministry of Petroleum and Energy and contributes to reduced greenhouse gas emissions, development of energy and climate technology and a strengthened security of supply.

The project will achieve total emission reduction of up to 15,000 tonnes of CO₂ per annum. This is equal to annual CO₂ emissions from more than 7,000 cars. Four supply bases will have onshore power supply facilities; Polarbase (Hammerfest), Vestbase (Kristiansund), NorSea (Dusavik) and NorSea (Tananger).

Once in place, supply vessels will be able to use onshore power on 80-90% of the supply bases along the Norwegian coastline. The facilities will be efficient in operation and easy to manage by the ships themselves.

NorSea Group Project Manager, Ralf Larsen, says, “The solution requires some refurbishment and adjustments on older ships, but more and more ship owners make the investments needed to facilitate this in order to reduce frequency of maintenance work as a result of the engine being used less with an onshore power supply.”

Apply TB will supply all the power supply systems for the project. The initial planning and engineering stage will be followed by the installation of voltage cables on bases before the units are installed by Apply TB. Scheduled completion date is 31 October 2018.

The onshore power supply systems will be manufactured in Bergen, Norway. Apply TB’s personnel and local partners carry out the on-site installations.

Regional Director for Apply TB, Yvonne Torgersen Hetlevik says, “To be a supplier of Norway’s largest contract for onshore power supply, is something we value highly, and we thank NorSea Group for the trust they are showing us in this project. The planning of the project has already started, and we are starting the building phase of the units around Christmas.”